Islanders rally past Blackhawks in 3rd, gain in East wild-card race

ELMONT, N.Y. -- The New York Islanders scored twice in the third period to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 at UBS Arena on Tuesday.

Bo Horvat and Simon Holmstrom scored for the Islanders (33-27-15), who have won three of four. Ilya Sorokin made 18 saves in his first start in four games.

“I was very proud of the way we came out,” New York coach Patrick Roy said. “We had a lot of chances at the beginning of the game and we could not score, but we didn't change our game. We played the same way, we stayed with the plan, and even in the second we had a lot of chances. ... And then in the third it came through. I mean, it was an important game for us. And we all knew it.”

New York, which was coming off a 4-3 overtime win at the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday, moved within one point of the Washington Capitals for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. Washington, which lost 6-2 to the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday, has one game in hand.

“They played a good game tonight, and we faced a tough challenge of a good goaltender,” Horvat said. “We had to mentally grind through it. It definitely helps (our confidence), but we have a lot of work to do here. I mean, we’re chasing and we got to keep winning hockey games here in order to get in.”

Jason Dickinson scored, and Petr Mrazek made 27 saves for the Blackhawks (22-48-5).

“I thought we got the start we wanted. We played fairly solid,” Chicago coach Luke Richardson said. “I would like to have seen us get a little more drive to that net, more shots to the net tonight. When we did, they were pretty effective. Unfortunately, they got a bounce on that second goal ... and we didn’t get it at the end to tie it.”

Dickinson gave the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead at 7:49 of the first period, finishing a pass from Connor Bedard on a 2-on-1. The rush started after Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson turned the puck over in the offensive zone.

“Bedard just made a really nice pass, and Dickinson buried it,” said Blackhawks forward Philipp Kurashev, who had the secondary assist. "That was a pretty nice goal.”

Horvat tied it 1-1 at 1:33 of the third period with a power-play goal. Barzal picked up a loose puck below the goal line and sent a saucer pass to Horvat, who beat Mrazek glove side from the right face-off dot.

“It seemed like we were throwing everything at [Mrazek] and getting a lot of chances. It was just a matter of time before it was going to go in,” Horvat said. “Sometimes, in those kind of games, you feel like you're never going to score, so it was a big, big goal. I told [Barzal] on the bench, ‘I can’t believe you opted to go to your backhand there.’”

Holmstrom, who was a healthy scratch the previous three games, put the Islanders in front 2-1 at 9:25 when he scored on a bouncing puck in the low slot.

“[Anders] Lee just threw it in there and I was just trying to find it,” Holmstrom said. “I found an open lane and it luckily went in.”

NOTES: The Islanders won the second game of a back-to-back for the first time this season (entered game 0-6-3). ... Sorokin had lost his previous six starts.